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Why Isn't 95.7 Using The Jack Format?

CBS has switched 95.7 KKHH to an Adult Hits format, as "95.7 The Spot" with "Your Place, Your Music, Your Way" as the slogan. But CBS owns Jack-FM stations all over the country, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, Minneapolis, using the slogan "Playing What We Want." It uses Howard Cogan as its Jack voice. He's even based at KCBS-FM LA.

Yes, I know Jack was on 103.7 some years ago, and wasn't much of a success there. In fact, it still carries the KHJK (Houston's Jack) call letters. But it only uses them at the top of the hour, as an Air 1 Christian Rock affiliate. I'm sure most listeners don't even know this info.

So why invent a new Adult Hits format for Houston? CBS is clearly happy with Jack in four other cities.

I agree. I would call this a Jack or Bob FM type format. Listenable - but not the classic hits / oldies I hoped for. It has a string of two or three good songs, then a couple of clunkers. There is a reason why some of those late 70's to early 90's songs never charted, or never rose very high on the charts.

I agree. I would call this a Jack or Bob FM type format. Listenable - but not the classic hits / oldies I hoped for. It has a string of two or three good songs, then a couple of clunkers. There is a reason why some of those late 70's to early 90's songs never charted, or never rose very high on the charts.

Bruce, I couldn't disagree more. I'm 39, right smack in the target demographic. The music selection is spot on. The "string of two or three good songs, then a couple of clunkers" statement applies to me too, but we're probably thinking the same with completely opposite songs. I think of this when I hear "I Love Rock & Roll", "Play That Funky Music", and "They Dropped the Bomb on Me". Old, played out songs that are reserved for wedding receptions and shouldn't be played outside of them.

Otherwise, it's great.

For my demographic, there was previously only one station playing the right songs, assuming one is into rock--94.5 The Buzz. The Eagle skews too old even to keep my ears (I've been waiting for it to adjust more to my generation but it hasn't happened as fast as I hoped {I did hear Nirvana, which was nice} and probably won't morph too fast due to strong ratings so they're definitely accomplishing their goal), Sunny is too soft, and Mix is strongly female skewed (nothing wrong with that). Iheart radio and Spotify have been my friend for a long time; however, it is nice to have a reason to turn on terrestrial radio again.

I've been listening to 93Q on and off the past new years despite not being a country fan because there wasn't a consistent station playing the "right" songs for me. It is probably appealing to me because of the emergence of pop country, which is another discussion for another time.

While I'll miss Hot 95.7's morning drive and PM drive, Spot is an overall win for my demographic and was needed for a long time.

I don't think that JACK in Dallas/Fort Worth is using the monotone voice guy anymore or the "Playing What We Want" moniker anymore. They have real DJs and play mostly 80s. I think the new slogan is something like "The 80s Live Here" They just played Manic Monday by Bangles, Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode, Rebel Yell by Billy Idol http://jackontheweb.cbslocal.com/ Of course we did just lose 102.1 The Edge (Alternative) after 27 years so who knows what will happen next... It is now called STAR102.1 so we now basically have HOT93.3, Star102.1, 102.9NOW, "More hits less commercials" 103.7 and 106.1 KISS FM that all play basically the same format. Ugh!

The Dallas Jack still uses the national voice guy, though with the slogan "We Love The 80s" instead of "Playing What We Want". The Dallas Jack has also always played those songs, I consider the Star 102.1 format closer to Jack-FM than KISS or NOW.

I kind of see Star being iHearts answer to Jack in Dallas, though CBS has the Dallas Jack running far more Classic Rock than the National Format.

Well, the Jack stations were pretty uniform at the start. But over time, in the big markets, they've been tailored to local tastes. (There's also a satellite-distributed Jack for smaller markets.) KCBS-FM plays more classic alternative, because sister station Alternative Rock KROQ was such an influence in LA 20 years ago. Jack started as a no-DJ format. But as mentioned above, Dallas' Jack does have DJs. When I was in the Seattle/Vancouver area, I could hear both Jacks. Vancouver has DJs on weekdays (not nights or weekends) and Seattle does not. Of course, the Vancouver Jack also had CanCon songs. (Canadian stations have to play a certain percentage of Canadian content.) But when there was no live DJ, Howard Cogan's voice was heard on CJAX. And he was on all the time on KJAQ.

Licensing fees? I doubt it's much, considering CBS, I'm sure, is paying a flat rate for four stations. It shouldn't be that much more to add a fifth. And you get ready-made logos and other imaging material immediately. No need to think up new slogans or websites. And really, does "95.7 The Spot" have the same ring as "95.7 Jack-FM"? The Spot, really? "What are you listening to?" "Oh, it's 95.7 The Spot." Is that better than "I'm listening to Jack-FM."

"Your Place, Your Music, Your Way"... does that sound better than "Playing What We Want"? Your place, your music, your way sounds like a chain of healthy restaurants, like Panera Bread. Not like a bold radio station.